Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-01-19
SEVERAL WELL KEPT SECRETS.
How Mr.. Arthur Came Near Dying when
President.


President.
DR.. Lincoln, one Of the most prominent
of the physicians here, was the regular
attendant of President Arthur. Since the
latter's death the doctor has given an ae-
count of Two serious attacks of illness
of Arthur when he was president about
which the public has never heard word.
Arthur came near dying three times, once
while vice-president and twice while he
was president. One attack which nearly
carried him off, and which is known to
the public, occurred on board the Talla-
poosa when Mr.. Arthur was absent on his
Florida trip. The news of this attack got
out, and within few days afterward
exact details of the danger through which
the president had passed were given. These
stories were at that time denied at the
White House in the most positive and
dogrnatic way. The president was SO sen
sitive upon the subject Of his health that
the obsequious members Of his personal
staff felt called upon to make denials Of
what they knew to be true.
DR.. Lincoln says that there were two
other occasions when the president came
as near dying as upon the occasion of his
Florida trip. His first serious attack oc-
CURED in Senator Jones house on Capitol
hill, when Arthur was vice-president
This attack took place during Arthur S
visit to Washington in July, after he had
been called here to await the result Of
Garfield's wounds. Mr.. Arthur at that
time was weighed down with worry and
responsibility. He was q very emotional
man. The criticisms of that time, the ex-
element of his surroundings, and the re-
sponsibility which was threatening TO
come upon his shoulders made combina-
tion of outward influence which depressed
him very much. Then he caught cold,
and this cold brought on an attack of ner-
vous rheumatism. DR.. Lincoln was sum-
moned TO attend him one night and found
Mr.. Arthur in a very dangerous condition.
DR.. Lincoln really thought he would die
The news of this attack was well kept.
Not single member of the Garfield cab
met ever knew it. The knowledge was
confined to DIR. Lincoln and Senator Jones.
Not even the servants were given TO un-
derstand that the illness was anything
more than an ordinary cold. Think what
a sensation was suppressed by this close
mouthed doctor! Garfield was lying at
the point OF death at the White House
and his successor for twenty-four hours
was at the point of death in another part
of the town.
The second occasion when DR.. lincoln
was called in to stand between Mr. Arthur
and second call of death was after Mr.
Arthur's return from the Yellowstone
valley This trip was yery severe tlpon
him. Instead of beneflting him the result
was serious injury. The roughing it, in
stead of building him up pulled him down.
He had gotten beyond the point when he
could stand such treatment. When he re
turned from the west to the White House
he was in o most distressing condition.
When DR.. Lincoln came TO see him he
found him suffering horrible pain, His
legs were swollen nearly to the size of his
body. This was the positive indication of
the development of Bright's disease. DIR.
Lincoln was able to relieve Mr.. Arthur
and to reduce the distension. But if he
not received medical attendance very
promptly he would have died at that time
and Acting VicePresident George i. Ed
munds would have been his successor.
The news of this attack was never known
outside of the presidents S immediate ct
tendants in the White House. Secretary
Frelinghuysen and DR.. Lincoln None Of
the other members of the cabinet were
ever told of this attack. This second i'll
ness was another one of the well preserved
secrets Of the Arthur administration -
Washington Cor. New York World.